A few nights ago I dreamed of a young man and woman. The setting was old fashioned----carriages, cobblestones and bustles. The man was nice looking, dressed in a cream colored suit. His honest face shone with love for his lovely young fiancee. She was slender and graceful. She radiated purity, chastity and innocence. She obviously was deeply in love, too. They seemed the perfect couple, having eyes only for one another, causing those around them to marvel at such great love.
Next, they were married. The bride groom was anxious to bring his bride to the home he had waiting for her. They were walking arm in arm in a place that can only be described as a fair or an old-fashion market place. There were many people, a lot of shouting, clamor, confusion, and even vulgar language. This is when things got ridiculous because the bride suddenly lost all interest in her new husband. Seeing terrible things happening all around her, she turned toward the dire need of the people. She saw children crying because of hunger and abuse. She witnessed unimaginable wickedness and evil. Before she gave it any thought, she turned from her new husband. Her heart cried out to her to help somehow, to make a difference, to relieve some of the suffering. Ignoring her astonished husband, she volunteered at a booth of sorts that seemed to be doing a good service. I'm not sure what the service was, just that several hard working women were busy, busy, busy! Without looking back she threw herself into the fray.
The baffled and deeply hurt husband could do or say nothing to bring her back to him. She was too busy! She forgot about him, forgot their love, forgot to eat or sleep. He watched her become haggard and worn but she wouldn't stop. Sadly, he turned away.
A carriage filled with "ladies" stopped beside him. The women were gaudy with smeared makeup and revealing clothes. The gestured obscenely as they tried to convince him to hop abroad their carriage. Turning from these harlots, he boarded a bus that was filled to overflowing with horrible men. There was swearing, drinking, gambling and every sort of wickedness taking place on that bus. Overcome with deep disappointment at her rejection, the bride groom fell into a restless slumber, only awakening when the bus had made its rounds and screeched loudly to a stop in the place where he had boarded. By this time his clothes were ragged and torn and his coat was missing. He cried out for his coat, for it had contained all his gold! The coat was passed to him by many filthy hands but the pockets were empty. All his gold was stolen! He dejectedly wandered into the crowd seeking his lost bride. Finally he spotted her! His beloved was now filthy, haggard, starved, and worn to the point of death. As he watched, she was attempting to "deliver" a man from demons. Tragically, the demon bore down upon her to devour her as a snake would a mouse.
End of dream! I wish I could have dreamed a great end to this story but that was it!
To me this dream is not too difficult to interpret. The silly bride is the church who has gotten so caught up in this world, she has lost her first love. She is no longer abiding in the vine, she is busy trying in her own strength to change things for the better. She is a foolish bride with no oil in her lamp.
I'm baffled at the bridegroom becoming filthy and losing his gold. Could it be that the church allows our savior to be looked upon as pitiful by our "doing our own thing?" Is the gold stolen away when we ignore the richness and wonderfulness of His blessed fellowship? When we cease to delight ourselves in Him and instead, fret over the wicked world, are we are sacrificing our blessed hope for a gospel of good works? Silly bride!
Revelation 2:4-5 "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
Father, I repent. I have lost my first love. Restore me, I ask in the Name of Jesus. amen
